Ghost of Shakespeare clearly wants Hilton Head to be pals with Italians

A Town of Hilton Head Island committee is meeting with members of the Italian-American Club of Hilton Head at 3 p.m. Thursday to discuss the possibility of making Verona, Italy, the island’s sister city.

I know what you’re thinking. Is this because Romeo and Juliet, two babies from Beaufort County families that did not know each other, were born at Coastal Carolina Hospital this past March?

It is not.

But HOW WEIRD.

Verona is the setting for “Romeo and Juliet,” the famous tragedy written in the late 1500s by William Shakespeare.

If you don’t remember my stories about Romeo of Beaufort and Juliet of Bluffton, here are two refreshers:

▪  It took just 18 hours of being alive for this Romeo to meet his Juliet at a Hardeeville hospital

▪  Bluffton photographer takes cutest photo ever of Beaufort County’s own Romeo and Juliet

The local births were a huge enough coincidence, but then this happened:

▪  OK, it’s getting weird. Two more babies randomly named Romeo and Juliette born in same hospital

And now Verona is hoping to become geographical buddies with us?

Clearly Shakespeare’s ghost is trying to tell us something (no, not “poison yourself to avoid family politics” ... more like “Remember me and how you were supposed to read my play in eighth grade?”).

In January, the city council of Verona, which is in the northern part of Italy about 75 miles from Venice, “expressed a favorable opinion” on the “friendship pact” proposal with Hilton Head.

From what I hear, it’s very likely that Thursday’s meeting will result in an agreement to go forward with the friendship, which basically just means opening a conduit to meaningful travel and cultural exchanges.

Verona is already sister cities with Albany, N.Y., and Fresno, Calif., so it would clearly be stepping up its vacation game by adding Hilton Head Island to its family. If that offends you, Albany and Fresno, show me your dolphins ... and then show me your Romeo and Juliet.

This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Ghost of Shakespeare clearly wants Hilton Head to be pals with Italians."